Brutus at his Tribunal

The subject is taken from the life of Marcus Brutus, the most famous of Caesar's assassins, as related by Plutarch in his Histories. Brutus was a descendant of Junius Brutus, a nephew of Tarquinius Superbus, who led the revolt against his uncle after the Rape of Lucretia, causing the fall of the monarchy and institution of the Republic. Consequently, as Caesar's rise to power seemed unstoppable after the defeat of Pompey, his opponents turned to Brutus as the great Republican's descendant.

Then, according to Plutarch: 'Brutus was roused up and pushed on to the undertaking by many persuasions of his familiar friends, and letters and invitations from unknown citizens. For under the statue of his ancestor Brutus, that overthrew the kingly government, they wrote the words, "O that we had a Brutus now!" and, "O that Brutus were alive!" And Brutus's own tribunal, on which he sat as praetor, was filled each morning with writings such as these: "You are asleep, Brutus [dormis Brute]", and, "You are not a true Brutus." Now the flatterers of Caesar were the occasion of all this, who, among other invidious honours which they strove to fasten upon Caesar, crowned his statues by night with diadems, wishing to incite the people to salute him king instead of dictator. But quite the contrary came to pass, as I have more particularly related in the life of Caesar.'